High-level meet on coastal security in Goa tomorrow

[Hindustani78]

By PTI | 20 Sep, 2015, 07.36PM IST
New radar operating station for vessels at Paradip coast - The Economic Times

KOLKATA: To prevent undetected intrusion and monitor the movement of vessels plying along the Odisha coastline, the Coast Guard has started a new radar operating station at Paradip, officials said today.

Boasting of high-end surveillance gadgets like frequency diversity radar, electro optic sensors, VHF sets and Met equipment on lighthouses, the station is a part of a chain of static sensors in different parts of the country.

"The project of Chain of Static Sensors aims at preventing undetected intrusion by monitoring the movement of vessels plying along our coastline. The station would also aid in enhancing the efficacy of search and rescue operations coordinated by the Coast Guard," a Coast Guard official said.

The data generated by the Static Sensors flow over a robust hierarchical network architecture, connecting Coast Guard District Headquarters (Remote Operating Centers) and Regional Headquarters (Regional Operating Stations) to Coast Guard Headquarters (Control Center) at New Delhi.

 

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Coast Guard commissions fast patrol and interceptor vessels | Zee News

Mumbai: Indian coastal security received a boost when two indigenously built ships, a fast patrol vessel and an interceptor boat, were commissioned into service by the Indian Coast Guard here on Monday, an official said.

Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Apoorva and Interceptor Boat C-421 have been designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd. and L&T Ltd., Surat.

The 14th in a series of 20, the ICGS Apoorva is a 50-metre long Fast Patrol Vessel which can achieve a top speed of 33 knots and displaces 317 tonnes.

Equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and advanced communication and navigational aids, it is an ideal platform for undertaking close-coast surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue, medical evacuation and other missions.

Captained by Commandant Dinesh Dogra and with a complement of five officers and 34 ranks, ICGS Apoorva -- meaning `unparalleled` - will be based in Goa.

The Interceptor Boat, ICGS C-421 is 27.8 metres long and displaces 106 tonnes, and is the 27th in the series constructed by L&T Ltd., Surat.

It is fitted with medium-range armaments and with a top speed of 45 knots, it is designed for close coast and shallow water operations.

Commanded by Deputy Commandant Rohit Kulkarni, with one officer and 13 sailors, it will be based at Androth, in Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands.

The vessels were commissioned by Vice-Admiral SPS Cheema in the presence of Additional Director-General S.P. S. Basra, Inspector-General KR Natarajan and other senior dignitaries of the armed forces and shipping and police authorities.

IANS

 

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NCC cadets setting out on a sailing expedition on the Godavari, at Bhadrachalam on Thursday.– Photo: By Arrangement
NCC cadets begin 9-day expedition on the Godavari - The Hindu
Driven by boundless enthusiasm, a group of 30 NCC cadets set out on a nine-day river sailing expedition in the Godavari amidst thunderous cheers from enthusiastic onlookers in Bhadrachalam town on Thursday.

The expedition camp commandant Captain G Vivekanand from the Indian Navy flagged off the expedition being organised under the aegis of the 6 Andhra NCC Naval Unit, Kakinada. The expedition began on an exhilarating note with the NCC cadets wearing life-jackets and sporting blue caps, venturing into the river on two whaler boats near the bathing ghats in the temple town on Thursday morning.

Trained instructors

The cadets representing various colleges from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh travelled a distance of about twenty-five km. from Bhadrachalam in the Godavari while fine tuning their skills in river sailing under the watchful eyes of the trained instructors from the Indian Navy. A safety launch and a rescue boat along with the diving team from Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam, were deployed in the river to escort the two whaler boats while the NCC cadets practiced boat pulling and sailing en-route their expedition. The sailing expedition along a stretch of around 455-km. will conclude at Samalkot in East Godavari district on October 2.

 

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The Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar being introduced to Senior Commanders of the Indian Coast Guard by the Director General, Coast Guard, Vice Admiral H.C.S. Bisht, during the Coast Guard Commanders’ Conference, in New Delhi on September 28, 2015.

The Union Minister for Defence, Shri Manohar Parrikar addressing the Coast Guard Commanders’ Conference, in New Delhi on September 28, 2015. The Defence Secretary, Shri G. Mohan Kumar is also seen.

 

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BEL to open defence systems integration complex in Andhra Pradesh - The Economic Times
By PTI | 28 Sep, 2015, 10.51PM IST


PANAJI: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today called for seamless synergy between Indian Coast Guard and the Navy at all levels as he expressed concern over the safety of vital installations like ports and shipyards.

He said the need of the hour warranted both services to work in close cooperation and understanding.

Inaugurating the 34th Coast Guard Commanders Conference at the Coast Guard Headquarters here, Parrikar said that India's geographical disposition affords the country a unique leverage in the Indian Ocean. That must be pursued for national objectives, he said even as he added that, more importantly, it needs to be safeguarded diligently.

"He expressed satisfaction at the existing robust coastal security mechanism and the actionable intelligence gathering which had led to the apprehension of a Pakistani boat with narcotics.

"He specifically lauded the efforts of Coast Guard in the maiden successful repatriation of 57 boats from Pakistan," said an official statement.

A Pakistani boat with over 200kg heroin was intercepted by the Coast Guard and the Navy in April this year.

Expressing concern over security at vital installations like ports and shipyards, which are key for sustaining the growth of Indian economy, Parrikar reiterated that Coast Guard plays a vital role in ensuring their safety.


Parrikar promised all help from his ministry in addressing critical areas of the service related to its growth and operational efficiency, be it manpower or new acquisitions.

He commended the valiant efforts put in by the men and officers of ICG as good Samaritans in providing prompt assistance to not only Indian fishermen but also to those of neighbouring countries.

Parrikar also appreciated the 'jointmanship' exhibited by the two services in search for the ill-fated ICG Dornier CG-791 that had gone off the radar on June 8, a few kilometres off the Chennai coast.

The conference, held annually, sees all Regional Commanders put forth the roadmap for the future and discuss various policy and strategic issues with respect to operations, acquisitions, human resources and training, among others.

 

[Hindustani78]

Throwing light on challenges in coastal security - The Hindu

The increasing threat of Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean, frequent problems faced by fishermen, safety of nuclear installations along the coastline and many more issues concerning coastal security called for an elaborate discussion at a seminar on Friday.

The PG Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, Voorhees College conducted a regional seminar on Coastal Security – Challenges and Response.

Experts spoke on various topics concerning coastal security during the seminar – India’s responses to coastal oceanic security challenges in the coming decades, understanding coastal security issues and concerns, nuclear installations in Tamil Nadu with reference to Kalpakkam and Kudankulam and coastal security and police perspectives of coastal problem.

“Some of the challenges faced by the country include Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean, safety of nuclear installations, fishermen issue, sea piracy and smuggling,” said D. Thirumaran, assistant professor and co-convenor of the seminar.

Some of the suggestions that were put forward during the seminar included protecting the interest and welfare of fishermen as their support was essential for coastal security.

B. Senguttuvan, Member of Parliament, Vellore constituency said the Prime Minister’s visit to Indian Ocean countries was crucial to ward off threats from China on Indian strategic thinking.

He pointed out that China has made dramatic economic advances in the past 10 years and called for strengthening the defence mechanism of India.

He said the outcome of the seminar could be compiled and given as a report. “I will forward the suggestions put forth in the seminar to the Union Ministry of Defence,” he said.

Plea for fund

The college authorities also sought funds from the MP for maintenance of Cobb Hall, which is close to 100 years old. The MP assured to provide funds for the betterment of the institution.

Among others, A. Rajavelu, Bishop of CSI Diocese of Vellore and A. Arulappan, principal of the college and E.R.S. Kumar, covenor of the seminar were present.

 

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ICGS Anmol fast patrol vessel commissioned | Zee News


Kolkata: Fast patrol vessel 'ICGS Anmol' was commissioned by the Indian Coast Guard on Thursday.

'ICGS Anmol' is the 13th in the series of 20 fast patrol vessels being designed and built by the Cochin Shipyard.

The 50-metre-long ship is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 35 knots and has an endurance of 1,500 nautical miles with economical speed of 13 knots.

It is equipped with state-of-the-art weaponry and advanced navigational and communication equipment and 40/60 Bofors anti-aircraft gun as the main armament.

"The role of the Coast Guard is becoming crucial day by day because of recent strategic developments in China and adjacent countries. With the upcoming Sagarmala project of the Government of India, the responsibility of the service towards safeguarding coastal frontiers will become pivotal in the coming years," West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi said at the commissioning ceremony.

Coast Guard officials said the new vessel will be based at Haldia in West Bengal and will enhance their operational capabilities to undertake multifarious tasks such as surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and medical evacuations of the region.

Presently Coast Guard district Headquarter Haldia has a compliment of two in-shore patrol vessels, four hovercrafts and one interceptor boat.

PTI

 

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The Governor of West Bengal, Shri Keshari Nath Tripathi addressing the gathering on the occasion of commissioning ICGS Anmol, at Khidirpur Dock, Kolkata on October 15, 2015.

 

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By PTI | 4 Nov, 2015, 02.40PM IST
Keel laid for Indian Coast Guard's BY-520, last in series of fast patrol vessels - The Economic Times



KOCHI: The keel of the last vessel (BY-520) in the series of 20 Fast Patrol Vessels, being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited for Indian Coast Guard, was laid by AKK Meena, Joint Secretary, Defence Ministry, here.


CSL has so far delivered 15 vessels in the 20 vessel series and the sixteenth vessel is undergoing sea trials.

Cmde K Subramaniam, CMD, CSL, Rear Admiral IPS Bali, TM(MS), Dhananjay Kumar, IDAS, and other senior officials of CSL and ICG were present on the occasion, according to a release here.

 

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Largest Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel commissioned | Zee News
Last Updated: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - 16:10
Vasco Da Gama: The Coast Guard's latest and largest offshore patrol vessel, Samarth, was Tuesday commissioned here by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar who asked the force not to sit on past laurels and focus on securing India's maritime interests.

With a displacement of 2450 tonnes, the ship is equipped with sophisticated technology, sensors, navigation, communication and weapon systems. Samarth is first in the series of six 105m offshore patrol vessels and has been built by Goa Shipyard.

Backing the Coast Guard's efforts at modernisation, Parrikar referred to the force earlier this year intercepting a vessel off the Gujarat coast.

"I am not saying there were terrorists or something but definitely they were not friendly," he said, complimenting the CG as he recalled the January incident which had run into controversy.

Parrikar said the CG will reach its sanctioned strength as various vessels were in the pipeline and lauded Goa Shipyard for early completion of Samarth.

At the same time, he asked the force not to sit on past laurels and focus more on securing the oastal boundary.

Samrath will be based in Goa and will be extensively used for Exclusive Economic Zone and other duties as it is set to be exploited extensively on the Western Seaboard.

It will be carrying one twin-engine helicopter and five high-speed boats. It is also capable of carrying pollution response equipment to contain any oil spill at sea.

"In the present security scenario, with increased threat from maritime terrorism, the induction of a sophisticated and state-of-the-art offshore patrol vessel, will provide the desired fillip to maritime protection of the coastal state of Goa in particular and the Indian coast in general," CG officials said.

The force currently has a fleet of 117 ships. 74 more ships are at various stages of construction at different shipyards.

Samarth has a maximum speed of 23 knots and has an endurance of 6000 nautical miles at economical speed.

 

[Hindustani78]

Largest Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel Samarth commissioned - The Economic Times

VASCO DA GAMA, GOA: The Coast Guard's latest and largest offshore patrol vessel, Samarth, was today commissioned here by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar who asked the force not to sit on past laurels and focus on securing India's maritime interests.

With a displacement of 2450 tonnes, the ship is equipped with sophisticated technology, sensors, navigation, communication and weapon systems. Samarth is first in the series of six 105m offshore patrol vessels and has been built by Goa Shipyard.

Backing the Coast Guard's efforts at modernisation, Parrikar referred to the force earlier this year intercepting a vessel off the Gujarat coast.

"I am not saying there were terrorists or something but definitely they were not friendly," he said, complimenting the CG as he recalled the January incident which had run into controversy.

Parrikar said the CG will reach its sanctioned strength as various vessels were in the pipeline and lauded Goa Shipyard for early completion of Samarth.

At the same time, he asked the force not to sit on past laurels and focus more on securing the coastal boundary.

Samrath will be based in Goa and will be extensively used for Exclusive Economic Zone and other duties as it is set to be exploited extensively on the Western Seaboard .

It will be carrying one twin-engine helicopter and five high-speed boats. It is also capable of carrying pollution response equipment to contain any oil spill at sea.

"In the present security scenario, with increased threat from maritime terrorism, the induction of a sophisticated and state-of-the-art offshore patrol vessel, will provide the desired fillip to maritime protection of the coastal state of Goa in particular and the Indian coast in general," CG officials said.


The force currently has a fleet of 117 ships. 74 more ships are at various stages of construction at different shipyards.

Samarth has a maximum speed of 23 knots and has an endurance of 6000 nautical miles at economical speed.

 

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Ministry of Home Affairs
21-October, 2016 20:19 IST
Strengthening coastal security is Centre’s priority – Shri Rajnath Singh

Home Minister chairs 22nd Western Zonal Council Meeting in Mumbai Centre asks Maharashtra to prepare Master Plan for salt land development

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh today emphasized on better centre-state coordination for ensuring foolproof coastal security in the country. Speaking at the 22nd Meeting of the Western Zonal Council in Mumbai, the Home Minister observed that the states of the west coast of India, while being among economically most developed, were also vulnerable to terrorist strikes. He said, in the light of the prevailing security environment, it is Centre’s priority to bolster coastal security through a series of measures, including modernization of police forces, better surveillance and acquisition of modern equipment and assets.

The Home Minister said Zonal Council Meetings have been playing an important role in addressing several problems and obstacles. “They are an important instrument of cooperative federalism” he added saying the meetings of all the five Zonal Councils were held in 2015, only a third instance after 1972 and 2005.

Secretary, Inter-State Council Secretariat, Ms. Naini Jayaseelan briefed media about the Meeting’s proceedings and outcomes. The Council reviewed issues relating to coastal security, internal security, issuance of bio-metric identity cards to fishermen & issue of card readers, formulation of plans for countering terrorism, modernization of police force etc. The Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis’s proposal of establishing a Central Marine Police Force was also discussed.

The Secretary further said that other important issues discussed were Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Mission, surplus lands of Central Government for ‘Housing for All : 2022’ and providing shelters to the urban homeless.

Salt pan development

About the Maharashtra Government’s demand for allocation of salt-pan lands for low cost housing development, the Centre asked the state to submit a Master Plan about the total land available, amount of land covered under Coastal Regulation Zone, land under encroachment and proposed utilization pattern etc. Chief Secretary, Maharashtra, Shri Swadeen Kshatriya informed that MMRDA has been tasked with the responsibility of formulating the Master Plan and the same would be sent to the Centre at the earliest.

Gujarat Issues

Issues relating to checking pollution in Daman Ganga and Kolak river due to discharge of untreated effluents from Vapi industrial area were deliberated in detail. Appropriate measures to be adopted were also given. Issues relating to setting up of Regional Development Authority for development of infrastructure in the region, setting up of international museum of Indus – ValleyCivilization at Dholavira in Kutch District was also discussed.

The Council also considered some of the important issues discussed in the meeting of Inter State Council held in July, 2016 under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister. These issues related to bringing back Indian fishermen (many of them belonging to Gujarat) languishing in Pakistan Jails, Internal Security, education and Aadhaar, Pollution control and environmental related issues were also discussed. Out of the 21 items discussed today of which 13 were resolved in the meeting.

The 22nd meeting of the Western Zonal Council consisting of the States of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli was attended by the Chief Ministers and Ministers of these States and Administrators of Union Territories as well as senior officers of Central and State Governments. Minister of State for Home Affairs, Govt. of India, Shri Hansraj Ahir was also present in the meeting.

About the Zonal Councils

Five Zonal Councils (Northern, Western, Eastern, Central and Southern) were set up under the States’Reorganization Act, 1956 to foster Inter-State co-operation and co-ordination among the States. The Zonal Councils are mandated to discuss and make recommendations on any matter of common interest in the field of economic and social planning, border disputes, linguistic minorities or inter-State transport etc. They are regional fora of cooperative endeavor for States linked with each other economically, politically and culturally. Being compact high level bodies, specially meant for looking after the interests of respective Zones, they are capable of focusing attention on specific issues taking into account regional factors, while keeping the national perspective in view.

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The ROS, Goa is part of the Coast Guard project of Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN). The Phase-I has 46 Radar Stations (36 on the mainland and 06 on the Lakshadweep Islands, 04 in A&N Islands) and the Phase-II of the project shall include additional 38 Radar Stations.


http://zeenews.india.com/india/gove...l-radar-stations-along-coastline_1979693.html
New Delhi: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Tuesday cleared the establishment of 38 additional radar stations along the Indian coastline as part of the second phase of costal surveillance system.

The project, sanctioned at a cost of Rs 8,00 crore, would include four mobile surveillance systems. It would also include the integration of Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) in the Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Khambhat.

The second clearance by the DAC, chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, was for an intermediate-level engine repair facility for the Indian Navy`s MiG 29K fighter jets at the Naval aircraft yard in Goa.


First Published: Tuesday, February 21, 2017 - 17:47

A coastal surveillance radar in Puducherry. File photo
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...radar-chain/article17341182.ece?homepage=true

The move is a bid to strengthen the surveillance of the country’s over 7,500-km-long coastline.
In a bid to further strengthen the surveillance of the country’s over 7,500-km-long coastline, the Defence Ministry on Tuesday gave the nod for the second phase of the static sensor chain.

Phase-II involves setting up 38 additional radars, four mobile surveillance stations and two Vessel Traffic Management Systems at Kutch and Khambat at a cost of approximately Rs. 800 crore.

The project would be executed by Indian companies and the lead integrator would be Bharat Electronics Limited, Bengaluru.

The decision was taken by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar which also received the status of other procurements.

India took up a major project to fill gaps in surveillance of the coastline in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks in 2008. Under Phase-I, 46 coastal radars had been set up and have been integrated for real-time maritime awareness.

The DAC also gave approval for the setting up of an intermediate engine repair facility for Naval Mig-29K fighter aircraft at Goa.

The Navy currently operates 45 Mig-29K carrier aircraft procured from Russia.

 

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http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities...weather-forecast-services/article18788033.ece

A Coast Guard vessel recovering the wave rider buoy from the sea off Vizhinjam.


Vandals cut wave rider buoy while huge waves damage monitoring facility
Two critical facilities used for continuous monitoring of weather and ocean conditions along the southwest coast of India have been damaged, leaving scientists starved of data for weather forecast and early warning of tsunami, storm surges, and swell waves.

While vandals are suspected to have cut a wave rider buoy (WRB) from its moorings off the Kollam coast last week, huge waves damaged a coastal monitoring and forecast facility at Valiathura here on Wednesday. Both the facilities were installed by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and the National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS).

On Wednesday, the buoy was recovered by the Coast Guard off the Vizhinjam coast after an earlier attempt had to be aborted owing to the rough sea and inclement weather conditions. The equipment was handed over to scientists at the Vizhinjam harbour.

L. Sheela Nair, Scientist, NCESS, said the damage to the WRB was yet to be assessed. The buoy at Kollam is one of the three WRBs deployed under a project of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The other two are located off Kozhikode and Colachel.

The buoys are used to generate real-time information on wave height, wave length, and wind direction and validate the daily ocean state forecast (OSF) issued by INCOIS for the benefit of fishermen venturing out to sea. The data are also used for accurate prediction of tsunami, storm surges, swell waves, and other abnormal conditions.

Dr. Sheela said the priority would be to restore the buoy at Kollam to its position as soon as possible. She added that the data feed from the other two units would keep the system running.

Scientists point out that the WRB is strongly moored to the seabed with a rubber cord and a heavy-duty chain and there was very little chance that it could have drifted apart unless deliberately cut loose.

Meanwhile, the equipment at the coastal monitoring station at Valiathura was shifted with the help of the Fire and Rescue Services after high waves began pounding the coast since Monday.

“We began salvage operations after the basement of the building was exposed and one of the rooms suffered damage. The cameras and computers have been removed. However, the weather station is still functioning,” Dr. Sheela said.

 

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Ministry of Home Affairs
05-July, 2017 17:18 IST
Centre to provide funds for enhancing Coastal security in Kerala: Shri Hansraj Ahir

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir has said that the Centre would provide funds for enhancing the coastal security of Kerala. Talking to media after reviewing the overall law and order situation with state officials in Thiruvananthapuram today, he said that funds would be made available from the Police Modernisation Fund for buying more vehicles and patrol boats.

Shri Ahir lauded the Kerala government for ensuring a good policing system. He pointed out that the Community Police system was much helpful against radicalisation drive among the youth. In reply to a question, Shri Ahir said that a report has been sought from the state government on the political violence and murders in the state.

He said that the three southern states, - Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have Maoist presence. On youths joining the Islamic State (IS), Shri Ahir said that reports of 22 people joining the terror organisation have come out and no more cases have been reported till now.

Additional Chief Secretary in charge of Home, Shri Paul Antony, State Police Chief Shri Loknath Behra and other officials attended the review meeting.

Later, Shri Ahir called on the Kerala Governor Shri Justice (Retd.) P. Sathasivam at the Raj Bhavan.

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